Geneva meeting between Ukrainian and US delegations begins

Rustem Umierov, Secretary of the National Security and Defence Council of Ukraine and head of the Ukrainian negotiating team, has said a meeting in Geneva between Ukrainian and US delegations has begun.

"Today [on 26 February] in Geneva we continue our work within the framework of the negotiation process. A bilateral meeting with the American delegation has begun – with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.

From the Ukrainian side, joining me in the delegation today are Davyd Arakhamiia [leader of Ukraine's Servant of the People parliamentary faction], Oleksii Sobolev [Ukraine's Economy Minister] and Daryna Marchak [Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Economy]," Umierov wrote on X.

Umierov said they will discuss "mechanisms for economic support and recovery of Ukraine, instruments for attracting investment, and frameworks for long-term cooperation".

"Additionally, together with Davyd, we will discuss preparations for the next round of trilateral negotiations involving the Russian side – it is necessary to synchronise positions ahead of this stage," he added.

Umierov added that the delegations will also discuss possible prisoner exchanges.

Trilateral talks between Ukraine, the US and Russia took place in Geneva on 17-18 February. Umierov said the parties had discussed possible parameters for ending the Russo-Ukrainian war.

Following the trilateral meetings in Geneva, Zelenskyy said he saw progress in the military area of the talks, but not in the political one.

Meanwhile, Axios journalist Barak Ravid reported that the Geneva talks had "got stuck" because of the positions put forward by Russia's chief negotiator, Vladimir Medinsky.